For Nana
by MsMKT86
Summary: When Hank's Nana becomes ill, he must travel to St. Louis to see her. Grace makes the trip with him. When Nana passes away and Hank falls apart, he's comforted and put on the road to recovery by an unexpected new friend. -HankxGrace-
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys! This is yet another Grank (GracexHank). This story came about for two reasons. 1, I saw the episode when Hank's Nana came to Colorado Springs and 2, my sister and her plot bunnies.**

**I hope you guys enjoy this story.**

**Happy Reading!**

**And as always, REVIEWS = LOVE!**

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Hank watched as the train carrying his grandmother rolled away. He took a deep breath and escorted two newcomers down to the Gold Nugget.

It had been three days since Nana's departure and Hank was feeling like his old self again. He stood behind the bar of his precious saloon and inhaled the smells of old whiskey, cigar smoke and the salty aroma coming from his girls rooms. Hank felt good as he threw back a shot. He stepped out on to the wooden porch and leaned against the railing. It was early yet but people were already filling the street.

"Morning Hank." Myra Bing said with a wave.

"Myra, I need to talk to you." he said stepping off the porch.

"What about? I can't be late."

"Forget Preston. This is important." he said.

"Alright." Myra said. "What's this about?"

"Thank you." Hank said softly.

"For what?" she asked with a small smile.

"Helping me with Nana."

"It was no problem Hank. She was sweet."

"Right well, thank you all the same." he said before turning and going back to the porch. He watched her as she ran off toward the bank. He would never say it out loud be he was happy for her. He had always know that the connection he had with her would end the way it did.

"Morning Hank." Grace said as she sped past him.

"Wait." he said stepping down on to the street.

"No time." she said.

"Wait a minute." Hank said catching up to her. "I gotta tell you something."

"Oh alright." Grace said turning to face him. "What is it?"

"Thank you." he said. Her eyes grew wide. She didn't know what she was expecting but it wasn't that.

"Oh. For what?"

"Everything you did for me. With Nana. You didn't..."

"You're welcome." Grace said touching his arm, interrupting him. He nodded curtly before turning to walk away. On his way back to the saloon Hank spotted Horace Bing moving as fast as his spindly legs could carry him.

"Can we get this show on the road?" Jake asked as Hank entered the saloon again.

"Be patient. It ain't like you pay for this one." Hank said grabbing another shot glass. He poured them both a drink, they threw them back before heading down to Grace's Cafe.

XX

"Dr. Mike. I gotta telegram here for ya." Horace said out of breath as he burst in to the medical clinic.

"This says it's for Hank." Michaela said taking the paper from Horace.

"It's from that doctor friend of yours out in St. Louis." he said with a weak smile before bolting from the room. She looked down at the paper and sighed. She set a few a things in order before she headed off toward Grace's Cafe. She walked to where he was sitting with Loren Bray and Jake Slicker.

"What do you want Michaela?" Hank asked as he puffed on his cigar.

"I need to speak with you. It's important." she said.

"What is it?" he asked. She handed him the paper she had gotten from Horace. She patted him on the shoulder and went back to the clinic. Hank looked down at the paper in his hand. His eyes grew wild. He balled it in his hand, rose from the table and ran back toward the Gold Nugget.

"What's wrong with him?" Jake asked, his eyes on Hank's empty chair. Loren shrugged.

"Where did Hank go?" Grace asked her hands on her hips.

"Toward the saloon." Loren answered

"He didn't pay." she said.

"I think he got some bad news." Jake said.

"Are you gonna pay for this?" she asked him.

"Well no."

"Loren, what about you? You gonna pay for this?"

"No." Loren said shaking his head. Grace rolled her eyes.

"Some friends you are." she muttered as she walked back toward the kitchen. "Colleen, thank you so much for helping out when you come home. I know how much you love working at the clinic." Grace said as she joined Colleen Cooper at the counter.

"It's no problem, Grace. I like this too." she said with said with a gentle smile.

"I'm glad. Now I need you to do me a favor."

"What's that?"

"I need to go collect some money. I need to you to watch the Cafe while I'm gone." Grace said.

"Of course. Go ahead." Colleen said with a smile.

"Thank you baby." Grace said kissing her cheek. She untied her apron and walked in the same direction as Hank. When she arrived at the Gold Nugget she peeked inside the empty saloon, all she heard was banging upstairs. "Hank?" she called. She was answered with more banging. "Oh Lord." she said as she pushed the swinging doors open. Grace made a beeline for the stairs at the back of the saloon. "Hank?" she called again. More banging. She took a deep breath and climbed the stairs. There was only one door up there so she knocked on it. "Hank?" she heard him grunting through the door. "Hank? I'm coming in." she said pushing the door open to find him struggling with his chest of drawers. Just as she stepped into the room the drawer, the clothes within it and Hank came crashing to the floor. "Are you alright?" she asked rushing to his side.

"What are you doin' here?" he asked rising to his feet.

"Well I came to collect my money." she said. "But now I'm checkin' on ya."

"Is that all you wanted?" Hank asked walking to his closet.

"Yes." Grace said watching him shove some clothes in a suitcase. He reached into his pocket and then threw some money at her feet. "Now get outta here."

"Hank Lawson do you think I'm one of these common girls you order around here?" she asked him.

"Get outta here!" he shouted.

"What is wrong with you?"

"You wanna know what's wrong with me?"

"Yes." she asked. Hank took several large strides across the room until he was standing in front her her.

"Here." he said handing her the telegram. She uncrumpled it and read the words.

_**Hank Lawson. Stop. Ilse Lawsenstrom. Stop. Condition worsened. Stop. All family needed. Stop. In St. Louis, Missouri.**_

"Oh Hank. I'm so sorry." Grace said looking up into his eyes. "Who's going with you?"

"Nobody." he said turning away from her.

"Well somebody has to go." she said quietly rereading the paper.

"I ain't got time to wait." Hank said as he carried his things down the stairs.

"You just get two tickets for the train. I'll handle the rest." Grace said as he watched her march determinedly from the saloon.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey! I want to thank anyone who is reading this story. I know that Hank/Grace isn't a very popular coupling but they still deserve love. Even if I'm the only one giving it to them.**

**Happy Reading!**

**And as always, REVIEWS = LOVE!**

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When Grace exited the saloon she realized that breakfast was over and the townspeople were milling around the street. The first person that crossed her path was Michaela.

"Dr. Mike!" she called out as she caught up the doctor.

"Yes? Are you alright?" Michaela asked.

"I'm fine but Hank isn't doing to well. His nana is real sick and he needs someone to go to St. Louis with him." Grace explained.

"Yes, I've seen the telegram but I can't go. The baby is due at any time. The train ride may be dangerous."

"You're right. I understand." she said squeezing the pregnant doctor's hand. Grace watched her walk away. The next person she saw was Jake. "Mayor Slicker." she said approaching him. "I need to ask you something."

"What? I was about to see what was wrong with Hank." he said.

"That's what this is about." she said. "His nana is sick and he needs someone to go with him to St. Louis."

"I can't leave town. I'm the mayor. Hank'll understand." he said before changing his direction and went to the barber shop.

"Loren!" she called as the man passed her.

"I'm busy." he said marching away. Grace sighed before she headed toward the bank. She ran into Sully on the way.

"Sully. You're just perfect person." she said smiling.

"For what?" Sully asked.

"Hank needs someone to travel to St. Louis with him. His nana is bad off." she explained.

"I can't go. With the baby being so close to coming now." Sully said apologetically.

"I understand." Grace said with a brief smile. He apologized again before she continued on in the direction of the bank. When she arrived there Horace and Myra were out front talking.

"Myra. I need to speak with you. It's important." Grace said pulling her shawl tighter.

"Are you alright?" she asked turning to her friend.

"I'm fine but Hank isn't."

"What's the matter with him now?" Horace questioned.

"His nana is very sick." Grace said ignoring the thin man. "He needs someone to go to St. Louis with him."

"Oh. That's terrible." Myra said covering her mouth in horror.

"So, are you going with him?"

"No she ain't." Horace spoke up again. "Hank can fend for himself."

"Myra..." Grace said ignoring him again.

"Oh..." she said looking at Horace.

"If you go...we're done." he said.

"But Horace!" Myra said shocked.

"I mean it. I'm not gonna give him the chance to try and convince you to leave me." the rail thin man said.

"I can't believe how selfish you're being." Myra said angrily.

"Preserving what's mine isn't selfish." he said. "It's a man's job."

"But he needs someone, Horace." she said.

"Maybe so but it ain't gon' be you." he said with finality. They looked at each other for a few moments before Myra turned back to Grace.

"Tell Hank I'm sorry about nana." Myra said sadly before walking into the bank, closely followed by her husband.

Grace sighed heavily, releasing her irritation with her friends. She looked around at the remaining people and figured she'd save herself the rejection. She pulled her shawl tighter as she marched back to the cafe. On her way she ran into Dorothy.

"Where you off to in such a hurry?" the red hair lady asked her.

"St. Louis, so I need a favor from you." Grace said.

"Alright."

"Please run the cafe while I'm gone. You can cut back to just breakfast and lunch but I want to keep it open."

"I can do that." Dorothy said. "What's in St. Louis?"

"I'm going with Hank." she said gathering a few things once they arrived back at the cafe.

"Hank Lawson? Is that a good idea? You know his reputation." Dorothy whispered.

"I know that his nana is dying and no one could or would go." Grace whispered back. "No one should have to go through that alone."

"But Grace, Hank..."

"Needs someone to help hold him together when his loved one dies. So, are you gonna watch the cafe or not?"

"Of course." Dorothy said.

"Thank you. When Colleen's here, she'll help out." Grace said before taking off in her wagon. She rode hard and fast all the way home. She packed two bags then headed back to town. As she walked speedily through town she got stopped at the livery.

"Where do you think you going?" Robert E. asked looking at the bags in her hands.

"St. Louis. Now I'm late." Grace said. When she tried to pass he stood in front of her.

"What's in St. Louis?" he asked in an accusatory tone.

"Why?"

"It ain't right. You leavin' town with Hank Lawson." Robert E. spat.

"He needs someone and no one else wanted to go." Grace said angrily.

"You ain't going." he said reaching for her bags. "I ain't lettin' you."

"You ain't lettin' me?" she repeated haughtily.

"That's right. You stayin' here and workin' that cafe." Robert E. said reaching for her bags again.

"Robert E. slavery is long over. Now I may have to go in the back door and I may not be allowed in everywhere but I can go anywhere I see fit. And right now, I'm goin' to St. Louis." she said tilting her chin up before she began to march away.

"It ain't right, Grace! It don't look right!" he yelled.

"Someone is dying."

"Is it him?"

"No."

"Then you stayin' here and that's final." Robert E. shouted. Before she could shout back Sully was between them.

"What's going on?" he questioned.

"Robert E was just trying out for his new role of _"massah"_." Grace said angrily. "You ain't cut out for the part." she said nastily before she ran off toward the train station.

"Grace!" Robert e. called after her. "Grace!"

"She's gone." Sully said. Robert E. growled in anger as she returned to the livery.

X X X

Grace boarded the train in search of Hank. When she found him he was stretched out in a compartment, his hat over his eyes. She pushed the door open and he tipped his hat up when he heard it click shut.

"Drew the short straw." he asked with a crooked smile.

"Everyone's real busy." Grace said sitting across from him.

"Right. Is that why there's no goin' away party on the platform?" Hank asked glancing out the window.

"Something like that." Grace said avoiding his ice blue stare.

"What are you doing? You hate me. Just like the rest of the damn town." he said lounging in his seat again.

"You needed someone to..."

"No I don't." he interrupted.

"Go to St. Louis with you." she finished not missing a beat. "I could get away."

"Right." Hank said lowering his hat back over his eyes. Grace wasn't sure but under the roaring of the train and the howling whistle, she could have sworn she heard Hank say 'thank you, Grace.'.


End file.
